The disclosure relates to a self-actuating debris removal or disruption device for use on a punch plate or other like water screening instrument.
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9. A self-actuating debris removal system, comprising:
a self-actuating debris removal device comprising a scraping blade, an actuator and a controller; and
a punch plate having a cleaning bar affixed thereto;
wherein the scraping blade is operatively attached to both the actuator and punch plate and wherein the actuator controls the movement of the scraping blade across a surface of the punch plate until the scraping blade contacts the cleaning bar.
14. A method of facilitating water flow through an irrigation ditch head gate, comprising:
positioning a self-actuating debris removal device on a punch plate, wherein the self-actuating debris removal device comprises a scraping blade, and wherein the punch plate further comprises a cleaning bar;
positioning the self-actuating debris removal device and punch plate at a head gate of the irrigation ditch; and
setting parameters of when to actuate the scraping blade to scrape across a water input surface of the punch plate until contact with the cleaning bar, based on water flow conditions of the irrigation ditch;
wherein, the self-actuating debris removal device is operational when the parameters to actuate the scraping blade are accomplished.
1. A self-actuating debris removal device for removing or disrupting debris from a punch plate, the device comprising:
a scraping blade disposed relative to the punch plate;
an actuator operatively connected to the scraping blade and configured to move or scrape the scraping blade across a water input surface of the punch plate;
a cleaning bar fixed to the input surface of the punch plate; and
a controller for controlling the actuator to cause the scraping blade to move across the input surface of the punch plate until the scraping blade contacts the cleaning bar;
wherein the controller is set to cause movement of the scraping blade across the input surface of the punch plate until contact with the cleaning bar and back at timed intervals or under predetermined conditions.
2. The self-actuating debris removal device of
3. The self-actuating debris removal device of
5. The self-actuating debris removal device of
6. The self-actuating debris removal device of
7. The self-actuating debris removal device of
8. The self-actuating debris removal device of
wherein the control box houses at least the controller and the hydraulic hoist and wherein the control box positions the controller and hydraulic hoist above the punch plate.
10. The self-actuating debris removal system of
11. The self-actuating debris removal system of
12. The self-actuating debris removal system of
13. The self-actuating debris removal system of
15. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
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The disclosure relates generally to a cleaning apparatus for removal of debris from a punch plate, and more particularly to a self-actuating cleaning device for use in the removal of debris from a punch plate, or other screening structure, where the punch plate or screening structure is used to capture or impede debris in an outdoor irrigation setting.
Keeping debris off punch plates or other like water-filters is highly useful for the transport and use of a water supply. Debris in ditch water results in loss of downstream water, increased maintenance costs, particularly where nozzles and pipes are used to distribute the water, and increased potential to distribute weeds, weed seeds, moss, scrub seeds, etc.
One solution for debris removal from a ditch water supply is use of perforated punch plates across the flowing water source. Perforated punch plates capture or impede debris while allowing water to move through the perforated plate and downstream to its end use.
Clogging of perforated plates has become an issue requiring manual debris removal from the plates and, in some cases, actual plate removal and replacement. This is particularly true where the flowing water is remotely located and maintenance time and performance is problematic. Where maintenance is unheeded, flowing water can be significantly impeded to its desired end use.
There is a need for the continual removal or limitation of debris from a punch plate, or other screening device, to maintain a debris limited water supply. The following disclosure is directed at solutions to this problem.
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to self-actuating debris removing device and to their corresponding methods of use. Device embodiments are typically utilized to remove, unclog or otherwise disrupt debris from punch plates, or other like screening device, in ditch/irrigation water uses. Embodiments herein also include systems, which systems include the self-actuating debris removing device of the disclosure operatively attached to a punch plate, or other screening device, for placement and use in a ditch or irrigation water supply. Device and system embodiments disclosed herein can be positioned in a headgate or other debris sensitive site.
Embodiments described herein allow for removal or minimization of debris from a punch plate or other screen-like structure in ditch water, including removal of debris consistent with outdoor locations. Debris for purposes herein includes: branches, leaves, weeds, moss, grass, rocks, trash, and other debris typically found in outdoor flowing water. Preventing debris from accessing a headgate pipe provides for lower maintenance issues (time and cost) associated with the downstream water, including clogging of pipes, clogging of booms, clogging of nozzles, blocked furrows, and the like. Screening out of debris also provides for increased capture of water, as heavy debris in a flowing water source often results in water loss.
A self-actuating debris removal device in accordance with the present disclosure comprises, a controller programmed to activate a motor and pump which extends a cylinder or other like structure that pushes a scraping blade along the surface of a pre-positioned punch plate thereby scraping off any debris that has accumulated on the surface of the punch plate. In some aspects, the scraping blade forces the debris off the punch plate when it contacts a fixed cleaning blade or bar (thereby scraping the debris off over the cleaning bar). The scraping of debris from the punch plate removes or disrupts blockage from perforations through the punch plate, and thereby allows water to move through the perforations. An appropriately placed end-limit switch is activated on contact with the cleaning-blade (bar), which reverses and returns the scraping-blade to its original starting position. A start-position switch is then tripped when the scraping blade returns to its start position, which stops the movement of the scraping-blade and shuts down the motor until the next actuation cycle. Scraping cycles can be pre-set for timed execution, or can be triggered manually. Scraping cycles can also be triggered by a flow meter or other sensor which actively monitors water flow through the punch plate, i.e., a reduction in water flow across the punch plate triggering the next cycle. Timing of a scraping cycle is typically around forty five seconds to two minutes, and more typically around one minute or so. Timing between scraping cycles can be set as needed but can include, for example, once per hour, once per six hours, once per twelve hours, or once per twenty four hours.
In one embodiment, a battery or batteries, e.g., two parallel batteries, power the motor and pump. In some aspects, the motor and pump are a hydraulic motor and pump. In other aspects, the motor and pump are a mechanical ram. In another embodiment, a 75 watt or more, solar panel is used to charge the one or more batteries, ensuring that the batteries are typically fully charged (typically requires a 2 amp/battery charge to keep batteries fully charged where batteries are used in accordance with the disclosure herein).
In some embodiments, the motor and pump actuate a scraping blade positioned flat and substantially parallel with the punch plate such that the blade scrapes the debris on the punch plate in a downward direction. In other embodiments, the scraping blade is positioned at an angle, for example 30° or 45°, to the punch plate to facilitate the bottom end of the blade to dislodge the debris while the blade surface area pushes the debris away from the punch plate. In this manner the blade pushes the debris downward and away from the punch plate. In either aspect, the scraping plate moves from a position close to, or at the water line, to the bottom edge of the punch plate, the punch plate bottom edge typically located at the ditch channel bottom. In some embodiments the scraping-blade is sized to remove debris from some or all of the punch plate, in other embodiments the scraping-blade is sized to scrape only the middle portion of the punch plate. Alternatively, and with little modification, the scraping-blade could be positioned to start the cycle at the bottom edge of the punch plate and move in an upward direction until reaching the water line and then return to a start position at the bottom edge of the punch plate. Regardless of the start and end position, the scraping-blade is calibrated to scrape along the surface (up or down or for that matter, side to side) of the punch plate to remove or dislodge the debris captured thereto.
In alternative embodiments, the scraping blade moves over the punch plate until it contacts a cleaning blade, the scraped debris is forced off the scraping blade through the interaction with the cleaning blade.
In other embodiments, scraped debris is crushed and scrapped into a size over time that allows for its movement through the punch plate perforations and pipes. However, typical embodiments herein simply allow for the dislodged debris to be pushed away from the punch plate perforations and settle on the bottom of the ditch where it may slowly move downstream of the plate and/or gate. Note that larger debris (branches, larger trash, etc.) or large buildup of debris can always be manually removed from the ditch after being scrapped off of the punch plate, for example, removing debris from the area prior to the punch plate one or more times a week or month.
The present disclosure also provides methods for maintaining water flow through a punch plate, comprising receiving influent water at a punch plate or other like screen; capturing the debris from the water at the influent side of the punch plate; traversing a blade across the influent side of the punch plate to remove the debris from the punch plate, whereby the traversing of the influent side of the punch plate can be timed to occur at pre-determined increments or can be triggered via a reduction in water flow or via a manual override. Alternative methods described herein include attachment of the self-actuating debris removal device to the punch plate and removal of built-up debris from the base of the punch plate.
Finally, the present disclosure also provides self-actuating debris removing systems that include the self-actuating debris removal device in accordance with the present disclosure operatively attached to a punch plate or other like water screening device. Systems can also include a wireless water flow meter to contact a user when manual removal of debris is required, or to contact the controller when the scraping-blade needs to be actuated or requires maintenance, and the like.
The following detailed description relates to self-actuating debris removing device and systems, and to the methods of their use. Numerous details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein and in the figures. However, the following descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, this application contemplates alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described and illustrated embodiments as defined by the appended claims.
In some embodiments, a self-actuating debris removing device is positioned on a perforated punch plate placed in an irrigation ditch, or other like ditch, used to transport water. The perforated punch plate is generally placed parallel to the flow of water in the influent ditch, such that the punch plate covers a gated turn-out of the lateral, and corresponding lateral distribution pipes. A scraping blade is operatively connected to the water input side of the perforated punch plate such that the blade can be actuated to scrape across the input side of the punch plate at timed intervals, or manually controlled to move across the punch plate when directed/needed by a user. The scraping-blade is of a durable material, for example stainless steel, and powered by a power source capable of dislodging common debris from a slow to fast moving water supply. The motor and pump, for example a hydraulic motor, can be powered by various sources including batteries, gas generators, and the like. A punch plate for use herein can include any number, size and orientation of perforations, including square, round, hexagon, slots, and the like. Punch plates can be made of various metal, but typically of steel plate. Typical punch plates herein are stamped out of ¼ inch steel plate, being 4′×4′ sheets. The punch plate can be of other useful dimensions as long as it acts to filter water through its various sized perforations. Perforation size can be, for example, ½ inch to 1 inch in diameter, and more typically ¾ inch in diameter.
A hydraulic cylinder (or other like device) 114 extends from the hoist motor 110 to a scraping blade 116. Although a hoist motor 110 and cylinder 114 are shown in
Some embodiments herein include a scraping blade 116 positioned and attached to a punch plate 118 or other like screening plate for actuation by the hydraulic motor via the hydraulic cylinder 114. A bottom edge of the punch plate (not shown in
In one embodiment, and in use, the solar panel 112 collects and feeds an appropriate amount of current through the controller 106 for storage in a battery 108 (in some embodiments two or more batteries are used in this capacity). The controller indicates the charging of the battery and the battery percent of charge. A 2 amp charge is sufficient to charge and maintain an appropriate battery (at a peak charge). However, other amounts of current are within the scope of the present disclosure. The controller is set at a pre-determined debris-removal cycle, dependent on the estimated time between which the punch plate requires debris removal. Typical times between debris removal cycles in an irrigation ditch setting includes: 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes, 75 minutes, 90 minutes, 105 minutes, 120 minutes, 180 minutes, 240 minutes, 300 minutes, 420 minutes, 720 minutes and the like. As referred to herein, a debris-removal cycle includes one cycle of the scraping blade 116 to the bottom of the punch plate and back to its original starting position (or vice versa). Although not shown, the controller may also be set to receive input from a water flow meter such that a drop in water flow across a punch plate triggers a debris removal cycle regardless of pre-set timing. The water flow meter and controller may communicate wirelessly.
Typical scraping-blades extend across all or a portion of the punch plate. For illustrative purposes, in some aspects the scraping-blade may be 6 to 42 inches in length for a 42 inch wide punch plate, and in other embodiments the scraping blade may be from 8 to 28 inches in length for a 42 inch wide punch plate. In still other embodiments, the scraping-blade is approximately 10-16 inches in length, for example 12 inches in length for a 42 inch wide punch plate. In one embodiment, the scraping-blade can be attached to the bottom of a piece of metal attached to the cleaner. The Scraping blade can be 40 inches long and 6 inches wide and can be beveled 45° in the middle where it comes into contact with the punch plate. Typical scraping blades are made of stainless steel, although other materials can also be used, for example, galvanized steel or other alloy metals. As such, scraping blades may cover 10% to 100% of the width of a punch plate, and more typically from 25% to 100% of the width of a punch plate and most typically, from 50% to 100% of the width of a punch plate.
Cleaning bars in accordance with embodiments herein may have a similar size and width as discussed for the scraping blade. Cleaning bars are also typically made of a durable metal, such as stainless steel.
In some embodiments, the scraper blade 116 moves until it contacts a cleaning bar 117 so as to facilitate removal of the debris off the face of the punch plate.
The following example is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
TABLE 1
Illustrative Parts List
Item No.
Description
Quantity
1
Hydraulic Motor and Pump
1
2
Hydraulic Cylinder (Ram)
1
3
Battery
2
4
Control Panel
1
5&9
Screen and Cleaning Bar
1
6
Solar Panel (75 Watt or more)
1
7
Secure Lock or Control Box
1
8
Plastic Lined Steel Guides and
2 or more
Steel Support Legs
10
Hydraulic Ram Connector Bracket
1 or more
11
Limit Switches
2 or more
In this illustrative embodiment, limit switches are shown and the control panel is shown extending off an inside side panel of the control box.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Mar 24 2016 | Ruggenthaler Manufacturing, LLC | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Apr 01 2016 | THALER, WAYNE | Ruggenthaler Manufacturing, LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 038209 | /0394 |
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